Spring-seat



(No Model.) 2 SheetF-Sheet 1.

F. H. HOMAN. SPRING SEAT.

Patented May 15,1894 .2:

1% NATIONAL umonanmms COMPANY.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-8heet 2. P. H. HOMAN. SPRING SEAT.

Patented May 15, 1894.

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s e w m W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- FRANK I-I. HOMAN, OF PATCI-IOGUE,NEW YORK.

SPRING-SEAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 519,792, dated May 15,1894:. pp t filed December 21, 1893. Serial No. 494,337. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

following is a specification.

For upholstered chairsI have produced an improved spring support,wherein the construction is such as to give the desired elastic capacityand durability. In the construction I use corrugated band springsconnected and secured to the seat-frame in a novel manner, asillustrated in the accompanying drawings and in connection with which Iwill specifically point out in the claims concluding this specificationthe parts and combination of parts constituting my invention.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 represents a top view of a chairseat-frame having my improved spring seat-support applied thereto. Fig.2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 shows a modification ofseatframe and spring-support applied thereto. Fig. 4 is anothermodification of seat-frame and spring connections. Fig. 5 is a crosssection on the line w-w of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail of the springfastening '2' shown in Fig. 4, and Fig. 7 showsthe manner of clippingthe coi1-springs to the band-springs.

I make the frame of the chair-seat of a construction to suit thefastening which I have provided for the spring seat-supports.

In Fig. l of the drawings the seatdframe is constructed of rundles alike the steps of a ladder, mortised into the legs and upon theserundles the spring seat-supports are hung in a way which I will nowdescribe. I make the seatsupports of tempered steel bandsb formed withdeep corrugations transversely of the width of the band as seen in Fig.2, andI form the endsof these steel-bands with lapping hook shapedterminations 0 adapted to be sprung over the rundles and thereby to behung thereon. As the rundles form the four sides of the seat-frame Ihang the tempered steel bands on each rundle, so that they cross eachother at right angles and when thus arranged I use, say three bandscrossing three bands. At such crossing the bands are made with flatseats 61 upon which coil-springs e are secured in a way which securesthe bands to each other and by such connection the spring bands areprevented from moving upon each otherorupon their supporting rundles,but in fact constitute a spring platform hanging from the rundles, andproviding an elastic connection not only upon the rundles, but at everypoint within the space bounded by the rundles. Upon the seats at theintersections of the spring bands, are secured coil-springs e, either ofconical or helical form, so that they rise above the level of therundles and are connected at their upper ends and to the rundles by wireties g, to hold them in position. Upon these coiled springs the seat isupholstered so as to cover the rundles.

In Fig. 3 the seat-frame is constructed of flat bars in the usual mannerand the springbands are arranged to connect with the corners of theframe and cross each other and are connected in the middle of the seat.In this arrangement I provide barbed staples h driven into the frame atthe corners and over which the lapping hooked ends of the bands aresprung and confined in the same manner as by the rundles.

In Fig. 4 the seat-frame has rundles at the sides only mortised into thelegs which are secured at the front and back by bars. In thisconstruction the springs are arranged as in Fig. 1, but are fastened tothe front and back-bars by tubular barbed pinsz' which are formedintegral with the spring-bands as seen in Fig. 6. These barbed tubularpins are formed by cutting the ends of the springbands crosswise andbending the cut edges so as to form tubulartapering pins which can bedriven into the bores in the tops of the bars. The barbs can be madeonthe ends of the band at the time the ends are out. This constructiongives a solid and secure fasteningto the spring platform to the frontand back bars; while at the sides the spring platform hangs freely onthe rundles, and thus provides for diiferent styles of frames andimmovable connections therewith of two sides of the spring-platform,leaving the other two sides to hang upon the rundles with freedom ofspring action.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 4 the construction permits the spring-platform to hangbelow the seatframe; while in Fig. 3 the construction places thespring-platform on a level with the seatframe.

The important matter is the construction and hanging of thespring-platform so as to obtain the advantage of an easy and durableelastic base for the coiled springs and thereby render the latter moredurable and prevent them from breaking down,which results from the useof webbing and from wire supports which are more or less stiif so thatthe elas tie action is borne by the coiled springs.

In the employment of steel tempered bands I provide a uniform elasticwebbing or support for the coiled springs so that pressure upon thelatter is not all borne by them to produce undue compression, but theweb supporting hands, by reason of being deeply corrugated are caused toyield under the pressure of the coiled springs and thus relieve thelatter and form as it were a part of them. The employment of thecorrugated bands about an inch wide gives to each corrugation a springfunction so that at the seating of each coiled spring the band has adirect yielding action and this is the important advantagedue to thecorrugations of a band formed of tempered steel with flat seats betweenthe corrugations on which the coiled springs are mounted. The elasticityof the steel plates also gives the important advantage of relievingtheseat-frame from undue strain, which in the useof stiff or unyieldingwebbing,is suddenly put upon the frameunder the weight of the occupant.It is important also to notice that as an advantageous result of myimprove.

ment the supporting structure for the upholstered seat-,is adapted bythe spring lapping hook-shaped ends of the bands to be made selffastening to the seat-frame, since the springlapping hook-shaped ends ofthe bands being engaged with the seat-frame parts by being sprung oversaid parts will extend under them with a self grasping hold thereon, andthereby dispense with nails or screws as fastenings for the seat. Thecoiled springs may be riveted upon the seats which are raised upon thebands, but such fastening may be made by clipping the end of the coiledsprings to said seat as seen in Fig. 7. This is done by turning thelower end of the spring under the fiat seat part (1 and then upsettingthe end within the lower coil at the edges of the seat so as to lock thecoiled end of the spring with the spring-band, and render the connectionsecure. This coil-lock can be made with the single and the crossed bandsand when thus secured to the crossed-bands, the coiled springs serve tosecure the hands together at their crossing. To give the steel-bandstheir utmost elastic capacity the corrugations may extend to therundles. These corrugated steel-bands are easily and cheaply produced bymachinery to suit different styles and sizes of seats, and they can beapplied to the under side as well as-to the top of the seat-frame. Whenapplied for use they do not lose their shape or spring capacity, but theconnected bands act together yielding alike at every point under thepressure of the coiled springs over and upon which the upholsterin g isdone.

It is obvious that the spring-platform constructed of the connectedsteel-bands may be used as a spring seat-support without thesuperimposed coiled springs wherever .it may be desired to so use myinvention.

When the corrugated bands are connected at the corners of the frame asin Fig. 3, they may be connected by intermediate bands at the flat seatsso as to brace thebands within the seat opening.

I claim as my improvement- 1. The combination of a seatframeformed withrundles at two of its opposite sides, and coiled springs supporting theupholstering, with a support for said springs constructed of steel-bandscorrugated transversely, connected together in crossing relation, the,bands crossing the seat-frame from side to side terminating in integralspring lapping hooks adapted to be sprung over said rundles, and thebands of the seat from front to rear terminating in integral tubularbarbedpins adapted to be driven into the front and back bars,substantially as described.

2. The combination of a seat-frame, with steel-bands corrugatedtransversely, connected in crossing relation and hung upon fixed partsof said frame, and formed with fiat seats between the corrugations, andcoiled springs supporting the upholstering, clipped and looked upon saidband-seats by interlocking the lower coil with said seat part andengaging the upset end of said coil with the edge of said seat bandsubstantially as described.

FRANK H. HOMAN.

Witnesses:

W. S. JOHNSON, D. D. DENTON.

